Thanks be to God!,” wrote the Apostle Paul. “He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Thanksgiving season is a special time of the year for all of us, but when it comes to being grateful, I take the prize! What an amazing turn of events have brought me to where I am today.
At the outset, I had a leg up on so many of those with whom I have had contact over the years. I was born into a Christian family and that gave me a break on life for which there is no substitute. Undoubtedly thousands of babies were conceived at the very same moment I was. The real me, the eternal part of me, was born into a godly family. Through no choice of my own, I was the beneficiary of a stable, God-honoring childhood that would have a major impact on my life.
I sometimes shudder to think that I could well have been born in a foreign setting, to a family and circumstances the complete reverse of what I have experienced. God’s choice? How can I say that when so many others have not been so fortunate. All I can say is that I have been blessed, through no merit of my own, by the example and influence of godly parents … and I am grateful beyond words!
Consistent with my upbringing, my wife and I have done our best to pass it on. We had but one daughter, but through her we have three grandsons, their outstanding and well-chosen wives, and five great-grandchildren. All are healthy, walking with God, and living responsibly in every area of their lives.
How could I have been so fortunate? I have often said that “God is no man’s debtor; He never takes more than He gives in return.” If it is evidence you want, my family is proof.
And, finally, I am thankful for the privilege of living in America, truly “the land of opportunity.” Twenty-five years ago, I was recovering from bankruptcy, living on the road driving a long-haul truck, and without a clue as to how my future was going to develop. Who could have predicted that within ten years I would be the beneficiary of a loving and stable marriage, own my home and, at 82 years of age, in great health! Who would have thought! God’s doing?” Perhaps … but if so, only because I am, like everyone else, a product of His love and am blessed beyond what I deserve.
Grateful? You’d better believe it! What I share in this column is the product of a life that has seen its highs and lows. I have been to hell and back, and the life I now enjoy is one I will never take for granted. God, my family, and America have been good to me.
And it all comes down to this. “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory – through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Our God is no man’s debtor; he always gives more than he takes away. I cannot imagine what my life – and that of my family – would be like were it not for the influence Jesus Christ has had in each of our lives. We have been honored and blessed – and I am thankful.
To say I am thankful just doesn’t cut it! What I feel is, indeed, beyond words!
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